


With your body next to mine our hearts will beat as one

by liddie



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Durincest, Durincest - not related, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Terminal Illness, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Romance, Sad Ending, Sexual Content, Sorry Not Sorry, Time Skips, hints of illness, surfer!Fili
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-06-29
Packaged: 2018-02-05 11:26:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1816888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liddie/pseuds/liddie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“The worst things in life come free to us.” – Ed Sheeran</p><p>The life and love of Fíli and Kíli in a world where everything doesn't always go according to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With your body next to mine our hearts will beat as one

**Author's Note:**

> This was something that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. It's a bit different than what I usually write ~ flashing through different moments in a relationship and seeing both the good, bad and unexpected.
> 
> Ed Sheeran's "All Of The Stars" and "Afire Love" are the songs I listened to while writing this, I hope they make a bit of sense to other people as well ;)
> 
> Again, please read the tags and the warnings :)
> 
> Aaaaaaand thank you to legolaslover1 for fixing all my mistakes ♥ daisykatherine for reblogging inspiring pictures ❀ and goldenlionprince for reading it over and liking it ♡

* * *

  
“Sorry for such short notice, I should have planned our first date a bit better, huh?” Scratching at the back of his head in an embarrassed way, Fíli gives the brunet before him a smile. “Or even had a plan at all, really.”  
  
Kíli grins and shakes his head with a smile. “Don’t worry about it, I’m always up for a spontaneous adventure.”  
  
With a bit of a relieved laugh Fíli shuffles awkwardly on the sidewalk as he thinks and Kíli bites his lip, an idea popping into his head suddenly. “Hey, do you like the beach?” Fíli gives him a look that has him worried for about three seconds.  
  
“How can you not? Sand, sun, water and waves – those are a few of the best things in life.”  
  
Kíli grins and takes a step toward the blond and his motorcycle. “I know a really cool place right by the water, maybe you’d like to check it out?”  
  
“That sounds great, hop on.” Swinging a leg over the body of the motorcycle, Fíli helps Kíli on behind him and grins when long arms wrap around his waist. “You ready?”  
  
“Ready!”  
  
Fíli starts the motorcycle and they take off down the road, Kíli with his cheek pressed to Fíli’s back and a grin on the blond’s face.

* * *

  
  
“Sunblock! You need sunblock, Fíli, get your ass back here!”  
  
Kíli takes off down the beach after his boyfriend, waving the bottle around as Fíli crashes into the waves with a laugh. Watching the blond dive beneath the waves Kíli lets out a shout and tosses the bottle behind him onto the beach before going in after Fíli.  
  
He wades around and keeps his guard up, Fíli popping up next to him and tackling both of them back into the water. Kíli comes up laughing and pushes his long hair back, turning to find Fíli watching him with a smug grin.  
  
“You dick, you’re going to get a sunburn!”  
  
Fíli shrugs and wraps an arm around Kíli’s waist, hauling him back against his chest and kissing the tip of his ear. “I’m already tan so I won’t burn,” he whispers like it’s some kind of big secret.  
  
“Okay, remember you said that because when you get burnt and complain about needing aloe on your back, you’d better not come crying to me!” Kíli folds his arms over his chest and yelps when Fíli lifts him off his feet and leans back so they both crash into the water.  
  
Kíli’s arms flail around and Fíli pulls him back up, stepping away when a hand comes to swat at his chest. “You’re going to pay for that!”  
  
“Promises, promises.” Fíli’s grin slips to surprise when Kíli manages to tackle him into the water with a victorious shout. Their limbs tangle together and the brunet breaks the surface with a mermaid-esque hair flip, Fíli nearly choking on the saltwater as he laughs.  
  
“Shut up, you’re just jealous,” Kíli grins as he wraps his arms around Fíli’s neck and leans against the solid chest, warm hands resting on his waist and tugging them flush together as they move deeper in the clear blue waters.  
  
They swim out until just the tops of their shoulders are above the water, Kíli lifting his legs to wrap around the older teen’s waist and tugging him down for a kiss that Fíli goes willingly into.

* * *

  
  
Kíli stares at the wall, sleep alluding him again for the third night in a row. He rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling, pulling the blankets up higher when cool air drifts in from his window. The room is cold and if he shifts on the bed he'll move from the small pocket of warmth he's created with his body heat.  
  
His phone chirps with a message and it illuminates the ceiling from where it sits on his bedside table, a hand slipping free from the warmth of the blankets to grab it. Kíli opens the picture message and grins to himself, trying to take in each detail of the photo.  
  
Fíli's tanned face and bright blue eyes smile at him in half the picture, azure water stretching as far as the eye can see in the background. The blond's cheeks are slightly pink and his hair is sticking to the side of his face, a dark blue surfboard visible behind Fíli's neck and head as if he stuck it into the sand then turned around to take the photo. Which, knowing Fíli, is probably exactly what he did.  
  
 "You dork," Kíli whispers to himself, saving the photo into his phone's memory and reading the text that goes along with it. _'Sun, sand and waves - the only thing I'm missing is you.'  
  
_ Pulling up a reply Kíli grins and turns onto his side, pulling his legs up to his chest as he types. _'I'm missing you too, dork. How are the waves?'_  
  
His phone lights up a few minutes later with the reply, another photo of the waves with a few specks among them that Kíli assumes are other surfers. _'Choice waves but I'd give them up if it meant you could be here.'_  
  
 _'I'd make you teach me if I was there,'_ Kíli replies, Fíli's next message coming almost immediately.  
  
 _'I'll teach you when I get home.'_  
  
They text back and forth until Kíli's eyes begin to droop, the brunet yawning as he sends Fíli a message telling him he's off to bed. He gets one last picture before he sets his phone back on the nightstand, one of Fíli making a kissy face at the camera. Sitting up, Kíli flips his reading light on and takes a picture with the same pose, all sleepy eyes and messy hair.  
  
He sends it off with a _'miss you too, 2 weeks will fly by'_ and sets the phone back on the table after flipping his light off, falling asleep within minutes with a smile.  
  
When Kíli wakes he has a new picture message from Fíli, a sunset in pinks and oranges taken from the beach Fíli had been at all day. Written in the wet sand at the bottom of the picture is a message, one that keeps Kíli grinning for days.  
  
 _'A sunset and the sea - along with you they're all I need.'_

* * *

  
  
Hurrying down the steps Kíli almost falls face first when his foot slips on the concrete incline at the bottom, kicking up a shower of dry sand and causing him to sigh in relief when he spots a body relaxing near the water.  
  
“You’re late,” Fíli says as he cracks an eye open when his sunlight is blocked by a figure, Kíli flopping down on his chest and tangling their feet in the surf.  
  
Burying his hands into the sand at Fíli’s sides, Kíli rests his chin on the blond’s chest. “Doctor’s appointment, thought I told you I’d be a little late.”  
  
Fíli’s hands move to smooth up and down Kíli’s back, slipping under his tank top to feel bare skin. “Nope, I would have remembered that.”  
  
“Maybe you weren’t paying attention when I was talking, too focused on the report about how big the waves were going to be.”  
  
Grinning, Fíli nods and kicks his feet to splash the cool water up along Kíli’s back. “Maybe you’re right, that could have possibly happened.”  
  
“Well I have another appointment in a few weeks, just a heads up.”  
  
“I’ll commit it to memory right now…done!”  
  
With a roll of his eyes Kíli pushes himself up with his hands and looks over his shoulder at the water. “Did you already go out?”  
  
“Nope, I was waiting for you.” Fíli sits up with a grin when Kíli rolls to the side, stripping his shirt off and moving to his feet. Kíli’s got his own shirt off within seconds and Fíli leans over to grab his surfboard, following the brunet into the clear waters and slapping him on the ass as he passes.

* * *

  
  
Seventeen stone steps lead down to the beach, Fíli having counted them a thousand times over on each trip he’s taken here. Sand dusts along each flat plateau and nearly covers the ones closest to the bottom where a small concrete incline disappears into miles and miles of beach.  
  
Juggling the bag over his shoulder and the large quilt tucked under his arm Fíli glances over his shoulder and grins, watching Kíli step down after him while trailing his hand along the dark metal railing. The messy braid Fíli had woven into Kíli’s hair is coming loose in the breeze, one of the brunet’s hands moving up brush the dark strands out of his eyes.  
  
“Think we can find a spot?” Kíli jokes as they look around the empty beach. The blond laughs and heads to the left, passing by a few worn benches of driftwood and around clusters of rock. There is a large stretch of white sand ahead and Fíli nods his head in recognition, heading toward their usual spot and turning to Kíli with a grin.  
  
“How about here? It’s got a prime view of the sea and those rocks should block most of the breeze.” Kíli laughs and surveys the area in mock thought before giving the blond a nod of agreement, stepping back when Fíli sets the bag down and begins to unfold the quilt. Shaking the thick fabric out a few times Fíli lifts it up and moves down to settle it against the sand, Kíli kicking off his shoes and turning to walk toward the water.  
  
Hugging the second blanket to his body with both hands Kíli looks out at the clear blue water and smiles, a few waves breaking along the reef a bit further out. He takes a few more steps out and the water teases at his toes, dark eyes looking down and watching as his feet wiggle against the damp sand.  
  
Fíli finishes placing his blanket and moves the bag onto it before kicking off his own shoes and walking down to stand next to the younger man. “Is it cold?”  
  
“Just a bit.” Kíli grins at the hiss Fíli lets out when a wave washes over their feet, nudging the blond with his shoulder. “Don’t be dramatic, it’s not that cold.”  
  
“Says the fish out of water,” Fíli grumbles as he takes the blanket from Kíli, moving back up the beach with the brunet following him moments later. They dump their phones onto the quilt and walk back down closer to the water, bending over to pick up the shells and pieces of smooth wood that catch their eye.  
  
“Aren’t you anxious to go surfing again? You won’t be out there for a long time now, since you got back from vacation.” Leaning down Kíli picks up a shell and brushes the sand free, covering his mouth with the opposite hand when a cough sticks in his chest. Inspecting the shell and finding a crack it gets tossed into the long beach grass further inland before he keeps searching.  
  
Fíli shrugs at the question and toes at a shell half-buried in the sand, grinning when he picks it up and it fits perfectly in his palm. “The waves in Hawaii were nice but it was almost too warm there.” Rinsing his hands off in the water, Fíli offers them to Kíli and watches as the brunet pockets them with a smile. “I like the cooler weather here,” he says as he hooks his arm through Kíli’s. “Better company, too.”  
  
Snorting, Kíli leans against Fíli’s side and steers him toward the surf so they can walk in the shallow water. “You’re too much sometimes,” Kíli grins as he tugs Fíli along, the two of them stopping every now and then to pick up a shell from the sand beneath the water. “We should come here every day.”  
  
“Every day might be a bit hard,” Fíli muses as he digs his heels into the soft sand and shifts them, slowly creating a hole. Kíli’s own toes dip into the crater to help dig it deeper, Fíli reaching out to grab Kíli’s arm for balance when he’s sunk far enough that the water is almost up to his knees. “How about a minimum of three times a week?”  
  
“I can work with that, but if either of us moves away we still have to come back once at least once a month no matter what.” When Fíli nods in agreement Kíli bites his lip to stifle a laugh as a small wave catches the bottoms of the older teen’s shorts. Tugging the blond free they make their way through the water toward their blanket, Kíli dumping his collection of shells and small pieces of driftwood into the bag.  
  
 He then kneels down onto the blanket and makes sure to keep his sandy feet off to the side. “I’d swim in it if I could,” he points out while Fíli sprawls out onto his back, folding his arms beneath his head. Kíli lies on his side so he can look down between them at the water, head pillowed on a bent arm.  
  
“Anyone would catch a cold if they went swimming at this time of year,” Fíli tells him with a shake of his head, watching the wisps of clouds drift overhead. He sits up after a few minutes and reaches over for the second blanket, shaking it out and draping it over Kíli. “You’re going to catch a cold.”  
  
“Then come keep me warm.” Kíli shifts and settles his head against the blanket facing Fíli, giving him a soft smile and reaching up to push the blond’s messy hair back. His hoodie sleeve slips down to reveal the white plastic bracelet snug around his wrist, Fíli leaning down to kiss where the edge of it meets pale skin.  
  
He looks across the blanket and watches a light blush appear across lightly freckled cheeks. Later, Fíli will think back and realize that this moment right here, lying in the sand next to Kíli on a chilly day, is when he fell in love.  
  
Lifting the blanket Fíli slips beneath it and scoots up against Kíli, tucking the younger’s body close to his own and reaching down to thread their fingers together. He rests them on the blanket between them and leans in to press a kiss to Kíli’s forehead. “Warm?”  
  
“Yeah.” The word is barely more than a breath but Fíli nods, the waves breaking against the shore and gulls overhead singing the tune of the sea. After a long while Kíli’s quiet voice breaks the silence, “Hey, Fíli?”  
  
“Hmm?” Humming to show his attention Fíli squeezes their hands as Kíli tucks his head under the blond’s chin, their bubble of warmth lulling both into a sleepy state.  
  
“Thanks for coming out here with me.”  
  
Fíli tightens his arms around the warm body next to him and presses a kiss into the dark hair. “Anytime, Kíli.” They fall asleep and wake when the sun begins to dip below the horizon, the two wrapped around each other and sharing a warmth that pushes back the chill of the evening.

* * *

  
  
“I knew I’d find you here.” Taking a seat on the sandy step next to the hooded figure Fíli looks out at the churning water, the dark clouds overhead moving with the promise of rain. Kíli grips the ends of his hoodie sleeves and hugs himself tighter, keeping his gaze on the horizon.  
  
He doesn't reply to Fíli nor does the blond try to strike up a conversation, instead waiting for Kíli to talk to him when he feels it’s right. They sit for a long time just watching the water and the waves breaking against the shore, Kíli leaning against Fíli a bit more heavily with each passing moment.  
  
After what feels like hours Kíli pulls back and turns to look at Fíli, his eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot and his face far too pale. Fíli lifts his arm automatically and Kíli rocks forward to bury his face against the blond’s chest, fingers clutching at the soft fabric of Fíli’s shirt as his body begins to shake.  
  
“It’s not fair,” he hiccups brokenly, repeating the words and keeping Fíli as close as he can while the older teen wraps him up in a tight embrace. Dipping his head Fíli murmurs soft words of comfort to Kíli as he lets everything out, one hand carding through the brunet’s tangled hair while the other rubs his back.  
  
Later on when they’re tangled together on Fíli’s bed Kíli tells him everything, explaining what he’s learned and what‘s supposed to happen now. It helps to get everything out, an exhausted Kíli falling to sleep soon after with Fíli’s arms wrapped tightly around his back and a steady heart beating beneath his ear.  
  
He never sees Fíli squeeze his eyes tight to try and stop the tears, teeth biting into his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood as he tries to think of an explanation or reason for why this is happening. There’s so much they still have to do, so many moments yet to live and a future to plan together.  
  
Hugging Kíli close Fíli takes a deep breath and makes a promise to himself, a promise to keep Kíli comfortable and happy no matter what. He won’t let anything or anyone change what they have or what they can be; he won’t take anything away from Kíli.

* * *

  
  
Walking past a small group of rocks along the sandy shore Fíli takes a seat next to the brunet and hands over a few seashells he’s collected, Kíli smiling down at them before tucking the treasures into his hoodie pocket. “Thanks Fíli, these will work great.” A hand toys absently with one of the shells in his pocket, thumb rubbing along the ridges as he memorizes its shape by touch.  
  
“No problem,” Fíli says as he folds his legs in front of him and stuffs a few shells of his own into one of the many pockets that line his cargo pants. They sit in silence and Kíli bends his legs up to his chest and wraps his arms around them as he watches the gulls glide over the water.  
  
“This is my favourite place to visit, you know. I could sit here for hours and just watch the sea.”  
  
The waves roll gently and break against the rocks and surf, bubbling white swirling with the multitude of blues and greens of the vast ocean. The setting sun paints the sky with soft splashes of orange and pink at the horizon, a few strokes of blue and purple highlighting the work of art.  
  
Kíli leans against Fíli’s side and digs his toes into the sand, an arm coming up to wrap around his shoulders and pull him closer against the warm body. “We can visit whenever you like,” the blond murmurs quietly into Kíli’s hair, hugging the younger man tighter when a sudden fit of coughs rack his frame. “Okay?”  
  
Nodding, Kíli rests his head on Fíli’s shoulder. “Let’s stay like this,” he murmurs and Fíli hums in agreement, nudging Kíli to sit up when he feels a shiver pass through his body. Shifting around Fíli places his legs on either side of his boyfriend and Kíli leans back against his chest, cool hands wrapping around Fíli’s as they settle over his stomach. Their fingers lace together and Kíli smiles at the simplicity of it all, rubbing his toes along Fíli’s ankle and tracing the dark ink that circles it.  
  
The secluded beach is deserted save for the two of them, a cool breeze giving lift to the gulls and stirring a few stray pieces of Kíli’s long hair away from his face. Fíli turns and presses a soft kiss to the scar nearly hidden in the cropped and growing hair at the side of the brunet’s head, his hands squeezing around Kíli’s in an affectionate gesture.  
  
“Let’s buy a cottage on the beach somewhere. I’ll find you shells and you can make bracelets with them.”  
  
Kíli grins out to the water and turns his chin up to look at the blond his fingers playing with the braided scrap of rope around Fíli’s wrist. “Just us and the sea, huh?”  
  
“You’re all I’ll need.” Fíli’s words are simple and he looks down with a grin, all sun kissed cheeks and bright blue eyes so full of life. Kíli tilts his chin up a bit more and Fíli’s smile softens, careful fingers coming up to brush along the underside of Kíli’s jaw as Fíli’s head dips to connect their lips in a soft kiss.  
  
Pulling back Fíli presses his lips to Kíli’s forehead and tightens his hold, rocking them back and forth with the pull of the waves as he leans in close and begins to hum.

* * *

  
  
Kíli's fingers dig into the smooth plane of Fíli's back as he arches beneath him, the light of a full moon spilling across the sand and reflecting off the water. Fíli's golden hair shines like a halo and Kíli clings tighter, his knees drawn up at the blond's sides and keeping them close.  
  
"I'm in love with you, Fíli." Kíli leans up to whispers into Fíli's ear as they move together, trailing his lips along the blond's cheek as he lies back against the soft blanket spread below him. Fíli slows his movements and his mouth makes a path from neck to lips, the younger teen tilting his chin to deepen their kiss.  
  
Fíli's hips thrust shallowly and Kíli pants into his mouth while tilting his body into each downward slide, grip tightening on sweaty skin when a warm hand slides up his chest and presses over his heart. "It's only you, Kíli. You've got my heart right here with you."  
  
A shiver races up the brunet's spine and he moans quietly, Fíli's lips slotting over his own to swallow the noise as his hand dips to wrap around the brunet's arousal. After a few more thrusts Kíli comes between them with a muffled cry, Fíli following moments later while kissing his boyfriend breathless.  
  
Breathing heavily against Kíli's neck Fíli tries to slow his heaving chest, lifting his head from the brunet's chest to see the tears in the corners of Kíli's eyes spill down his cheeks as he smiles. "I’m just really happy," he says when Fíli looms over his body, leaning into a kiss and humming when a hand cups the back of his head gently. His body doesn't want to move and Fíli doesn't make him, breaking their kiss and shifting to scoop the sleepy brunet up into his arms.  
  
Nuzzling his face into dark hair at the side of Kíli's head the blond carries him down to the shore and wades out to his waist. The cool water feels amazing against their heated skin, Kíli sighing happily as he loops his arms around Fíli's neck and leans against his chest.  
  
They drift against each other and Fíli rubs his hands up and down Kíli's body to try and clean him up, the younger peppering kisses along Fíli's face and neck as they laugh quietly under the glow of the moon. "I could look into your eyes forever," Fíli whispers as Kíli wraps around him, laying his head against the blond teen’s shoulder and yawning as Fíli carries him toward the shore.  
  
Pulling a thin sheet from the bag next to their makeshift bed Fíli lays it on top of the quilt and positions Kíli so his back rests against his chest. "I'll always love you, Kíli." They cuddle against each other and the slight summer breeze keeps them both warm and cool, Kíli's head tucked under Fíli's chin as they drift off to sleep.

* * *

  
  
“What’s that?” Kíli asks with an amused smile when Fíli walks into the room with a clear fish bowl held in his hands. He shifts his legs to the side of the bed so Fíli has room to sit, the blond holding the gift in his lap and leaning in for a kiss. Grinning against his lips Kíli pulls back and furrows his brow, reaching up under his beanie to scratch behind his ear in a show of excitement.  
  
“This is for you, happy six month anniversary!” Fíli shifts the fish bowl into the younger’s lap and watches Kíli stare down at it in confusion.  
  
“What…”  
  
“It’s the beach,” Fíli explains with a grin, pointing to the different things inside. “It’s a bit smaller than the real thing but I think I’ve got most of it. Sand, a chunk of that rock by our spot, a bit of beach grass and of course the ocean water.”  
  
Kíli stares down in a bit of shock, lifting the bowl up to look in through the side and spotting the small shell he had given Fíli after their first date nestled atop the sand. His eyes begin to water before he knows it and a nurse comes in to check on them when a few things begin to beep, the woman giving them a smile before stepping back out as Fíli takes the gift and sets it on the bedside table.  
  
“Sorry, is it too much? I can’t take it back though because I had to sweet talk the lady at the front desk for fifteen minutes just to reassure her there was no bacteria or stuff in here and if I carry it out she—”  
  
Fíli’s babbling gets cut off by a pair of lips against his own, Kíli nearly toppling them over the side of the bed as he wraps his arms around the blond. Pressing into the kiss Fíli grins when Kíli deepens it and wraps his own arms around the slight frame, leaning forward so they’re no longer in danger of falling. “So you like it?”  
  
“I love it, you idiot.” Reaching up Kíli wipes at his cheeks and leans in again to kiss Fíli once more. They both grin stupidly and Fíli slips away to shrug out of his jacket and shoes before climbing onto the bed behind the brunet. Kíli settles back against his chest and stretches his legs out, Fíli handing the fish bowl back to him and grinning into Kíli’s beanie as his gift is admired.  
  
“Thank you, Fíli.”  
  
Tightening his arms around Kíli’s waist Fíli tangles their legs together as he plays with both the rope and the plastic bracelets around Kíli’s wrist. “You’re welcome, love.”  
  
Dipping his fingers into the water Kíli leans his head back against Fíli’s shoulder and brings his free hand up to cough into it once. He clears his throat and takes a sip of water from the glass Fíli hands him from the bedside table. “My gift sucks compared to this.”  
  
Fíli shakes his head with a smile. “That’s not possible. But that kiss earlier was pretty impressive, I’ll count that as a gift too.”  
  
Scoffing, Kíli points to the small gift bag hanging off the side of his bed. “That’s it right there, you might as well open it.” Fíli reaches for it and the younger settles the fish bowl between his legs to make room for Fíli to open it right in front of him.  
  
Digging past the tissue paper the blond smiles when he pulls out the strip of intricately braided rope. “Kíli, it’s perfect.”  
  
“Your old one is looking really sad so I thought you could use a new one.” Kíli’s blushing as he tilts his head to the side when Fíli kisses his neck, eyes watching the way Fíli’s thumb rubs over the shell he’d fashioned into the bracelet. To Kíli it’s not much of a gift at all but Fíli finds it just perfect.  
  
“I love it, will you help me put it on?”  
  
Nodding, Kíli’s skilled fingers untie the frayed knot of the old bracelet and it falls onto the blanket. Weaving the loose strands into a new knot he only has to pause once, coughing into his shoulder but refusing the offered water. “There, good as new,” he murmurs and traces the fibers of the rope, Fíli’s hands folding over his own and squeezing.  
  
“Thanks, Kíli.” Fíli kisses an ear again and Kíli grins, closing his eyes and savoring the attention. After a few moments Fíli moves the fish bowl back onto the table and shifts them so they can lie down, Kíli’s head on his chest and their hands intertwined as he falls to sleep with a smile.  
  
Fili reaches up and carefully slides the beanie off of Kíli’s head, scratching lightly at the cropped hair and pressing a kiss to one of the scars. The young man atop him sleeps on and Fíli smiles, turning his head to look out at the bright blue sky before he falls asleep to Kíli’s even breathing and the steady beep of his heart monitor.

* * *

  
  
The day is chilly but not overly so, the sea not yet warm enough to swim in but the sight of it is beautiful. The calm waters reflect the clear blue sky and the sight is as picturesque as any postcard, complete with the gulls and sailboat out on the horizon.  
  
Fíli makes his way down the step and kicks his shoes off into the sand, walking down to the edge of the water and letting it pool around his feet. He smiles at the sight and snaps a photo with the old Polaroid camera around his neck, holding the photo down out of the light and spotting a small shell next to his foot.  
  
“That’s a tiny one,” he murmurs as he reaches down to pick it up, transferring it to the hand that holds the photo as he moves the bottle out from under his arm. Pulling out the cork Fíli brings it up to his mouth to hold between his teeth as he dries the shell on his shirt, dropping it into the opening and smiling when he hears it hit the bottom.  
  
He turns the photo over and smiles at the picture, carefully rolling it to slip inside with the shell and his letter. Replacing the cork snugly Fíli holds the bottle up and presses a kiss to it before tossing it out into the waves.  
  
“There’s actually a good photo this time so be sure to look at it,” Fíli calls with a grin, watching the bottle bob up and down until he can’t see it any longer. “I miss you, Kíli, every second of every day. I hope the beach is just as nice where you are as it is here... sand, sun, water and waves, right?” Spinning the bracelet around his wrist Fíli digs his toes into the sand and gives the sea once last smile, lifting his hand in a wave before turning and heading back up the beach.

 


End file.
